


Celebration

by hanyou_elf



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, PTSD, birthday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 01:52:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2450297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanyou_elf/pseuds/hanyou_elf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve celebrates his birthday in the new century.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Celebration

Steve watches the fireworks on the large television. He’s wearing a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, cold beer kept close at hand even though it doesn’t do anything for him. He sips at the watered down brew and grimaces at the sour taste as fireworks explode in colorful displays. 

He’s managed to avoid most celebrations, hasn’t had to leave the Tower for anything today, and he likes it just fine. It’s his birthday, his country’s birthday. And as a flag wearing symbol of patriotism, nobody remembers the man beneath the facade: the man who is turning twenty-six. 

He’s lost and alone, completely out of his depth. And it just hasn’t gotten any better. 

He’s learning to live in the modern society, learning to live with the men and women who make up the exotic team of superheros. The new line of defense that protects the ever targeted city. He’s learned to open himself up to them, and he knows he’s lucky, but sometimes, he hates this world too. 

He watches Tony Stark, dancing on a separate screen as the fireworks go off. He wants to be with Tony, wants Tony here with him. At the least, he wants Tony with him. But the engineer, a genius at explosions, is at the center of things as the technician for the fireworks display. 

Tony’s been good for giving him a chance to explore himself and the new limits of his bigger, stronger body. It has been an amazing thing to learn that he could be himself in this new world, and it’s one of the best things about waking up.

The fireworks finish and Steve stands, walks out onto the large balcony. The night has quieted down, and he feels confident standing in the warm air, the sudden and continuous explosions should be over. He sips at the beer in his hands and just breathes the night air, enjoys the moment of time alone, but hates the way it makes him feel selfish. He can’t stop the flinching as fireworks explode erratically, leftovers and remnants in an effort to dispose of them.

Steve closes his eyes, and tries to find something to make things happy, enjoyable. He wants to think that he’s okay, that this is okay, that he’s thriving in this new world, but he can’t lie to himself. He’s surviving, even as he grows with Tony and the team and learns to leave the past behind him.

But it’s only been a little over a year, and he thinks he’s doing okay. He’s surviving, and he’s adapting and he’s learning.

“Oh Captain my Captain!” Tony’s exuberant voice echoes in the living room. Steve turns to look and smiles a slow smile at the other man, happy to see him home, instead of out in the city and celebrating with everyone like he’d promised he would. 

Steve turns to lean back against the railing, lets his body relax even though the random explosions around him still sends a flare of adrenaline through his body. He blinks slowly, trying to keep the terror and melancholy off of his face. Tony saunters up to him, his body sliding smoothly through the large apartment and stops when he’s in Steve’s space. His calloused, but surprisingly graceful hands, float up and grab Steve’s cheeks, pulling him down and into a kiss that blocks out the noise around him. 

He smiles at the shorter man, breathing in the musky smell of his cologne. He finds himself relaxing with Tony right there, with this man who was determined to encourage and support and protect him. “Hey there,” he breathes against Tony’s lips. 

Tony grins and presses even closer, flush against his strong body and Steve wraps strong arms around the slender man, holds him close and just stands there, enjoying the feel of his lover so close.

“Hey,” Tony murmurs. “You okay?” 

Steve nods and leans further into him. 

“Happy birthday, Steve,” Tony whispers against his temple. Steve smiles into the lean shoulder and clings all the tighter to the engineer. 

“Thanks,” Steve breaths. 

“Let’s go celebrate!” the brunet demands, stepping back out of Steve’s hold and leering up at the blond. “There’s a candle I want to blow out.”

Steve blushes and nods, letting the engineer pull him into the apartment and further into the bedroom.


End file.
